With the arrival of the astounding Marten
Bird loudspeakers, now my number one high-end speaker reference, I have
begun exploring other offerings from Marten of Sweden. My number two
reference system has always been a two way monitor style system as the
room is only 12 by 15 though my thirst for big sounding little speakers
is insatiable. That search is now on hold as I listen to the baby of the
Marten line, the $8500 Duke. With top components and interconnects, the
two way Dukes set new standards for small speakers, easily the most
musical and highly dynamic of their breed in my long experience.

My first monitors were the Dynaco A-25s so
that dates me pretty clearly. The search for the ideal monitor has taken
me to the Wilson Cubs, Reference 2as, Paradigm 20's, and many more. I
heard the new Magicos at two shows and at the local dealer with my test
CDs and listened intently to the latest single driver designs at CES.
Then along comes the Duke!

Why are they so good? The answer in part is
"Accuton.” With a one inch Accuton ceramic tweeter and seven inch
ceramic/bass midrange, top notch internal components, and a beautifully
finished well reinforced rear ported wood cabinet, they will leave you
jaw-droppingly giddy.

My long experience with ceramic drivers,
first in Avalons in the 90's and now the premium driver of choice in
many speaker manufacturer designs, has taught me that they should NOT be
used with other drivers based on other materials which are slower in
any way. Consistently, speakers with all ceramic drivers blend
better and sound more linear. The ceramic does perform with near
electrostatic speed and definition and with cone-type dynamic range
capabilities, making for musical nirvana in the right hands. Mated with
a top ribbon tweeter or ultra expensive diamond tweeter may take the
performance up a notch as well. The included ceramic tweeter is
invisible to the ear and perfect for a monitor application like the
Dukes.

Setup was a chip shot. I assembled a
fabulous small system including the E.A.R. 534 Stereo Tube Amplifier, the E.A.R. 834L Deluxe Line Stage, the ModWright Sony 999 Tube CD/SACD Player,
the Mac MR-71 fully restored FM tuner, all Kubala-Sosna Elation top of
the line interconnects and bi-wire speaker cables, and Kubala-Sosna
Emotion AC power cords. At $6000 per meter for the interconnects, the
Elation is probably overkill. Nevertheless, the cables maximally
communicate and reinforce the glorious mids and ethereal highs from the
high tech ceramic drivers within the Dukes.

The "in residence" Focal JM Labs Cobalts
gave way for The Dukes. There are dedicated Duke stands for $1250 that
I did not use, but they should be considered and are really sharp
looking. I initially placed them on 20 inch stands, but changed them to
24 inch stands which brought the tweeters to exactly ear level and
focused the soundstage even more. Also, the Dukes, like the big Birds,
have all non-parallel sides to minimize internal reflections. When you
look at the Dukes while playing, you can only see the front panel with
drivers. This design element reduces room interaction and makes setup
about anywhere a snap.

The Birds have taught me that Marten
understands how to maximize Accuton drivers and has the taste levels
that bring musical recordings to life. All I can say is "wow.” Placed 7
feet apart and 7 feet from my listening position, the room ceases to
exist. Depth perspective and imaging are beyond reproach. I hear no
colorations on which to report. The Dukes are fast, involving, extended
to the sky, and nuanced to provide ultimate ground breaking definition.
Bass is quick, highly detailed, and perfectly integrated into the
midband. The deepest bass is suggested. The addition of the Ellington
sub woofer would make the Dukes a full range system. However, at this
price point, I don't want to feel like I really need it and I don't!
These babies take you to the moon and back with no space station needed
for me.

So why ground breaking? Simple. Like the
Birds, the Dukes sound like real music in real space. I did not think
this was possible with a monitor speaker. Apparently, in 2010, it is!

The 'you are there' palpability of the mid
band is spot on realistic and alive. There isn't the least hint of
boxiness, dynamic limitation, or etch. Musical images just exist in
space even with an FM tuner as a source. Plus, my 50 watt tube amp
drives them to ear shattering levels. I don't hear this kind of dynamic
range or detailing with Magicos even with 200 watt power amps! Truth be
told, the Dukes behave like something entirely new even though they have
been in the Marten line for five years. Maybe they have not had the
royal treatment I gave them? Nevertheless, if you don't consider them on
your short list of monitor speakers, you will miss the boat!

Just for fun, I tried my hand-made by Dennis
Had Cary SET 300B amplifier, 8 watts per channel from Western Electric
matched 300B tubes, to see if this would be a satisfying combo. At low
to medium volumes, it was a warm, rich, and luxurious combination, but
nowhere close to the dynamic, neutral, alive, breakthrough performance
of my E.A.R. 534, a 50 watts per channel EL34 tubed power amplifier. Since
the Dukes are designed for continuous power up to 150 watts, they will
play at levels sufficient for a medium large listening area. This is
more than most traditional monitor speakers will do in my experience. If
I learned anything from this experiment, the Dukes are sonic chameleons
which critically and faithfully take on the characteristics of the amp
you choose.

I just received the new Marinsky label
hybrid disk featuring the Marinsky Orchestra and Valery Gergiev,
conducting, MAR0503. Sonic blockbusters include the "1812 Overture" with
cannons, "Moscow Cantata" with chorus, and several festival overtures.
Recorded in 2009 and produced by the legendary James Mallinson, this
huge, overwhelming drop dead gorgeous disk would challenge Hansens! I
was beyond exalted and entertained with the Dukes! The silvery elegant
highs, the voluptuous mids, the solid powerful bass combined to fulfill
all audiophile fantasies. Cannons played on monitor speakers? This is
not the kind of music you would normally think monitors would or could
maximize. Think again.

I also received the latest Yarlung Records
Gold CD pressed in Germany and featuring Antonio Lysy playing fabulous
cello with violin and piano incredible selections by Ginastera, Piazzola,
and more: Antonio Lysy at the Broad, Music from Argentina,
Yarlung 27517. Recorded in minimalist high end fashion by the
experienced Bob Attiyeh, this is an in the room performance on the
Dukes. The Piazzola selections are richly romantic and sweet as sugar.
The artists sit right in front of you and play to perfection. This is
another killer recording from Yarlung, now the best new artist, fine
music recording organization I know of not linked to a symphony
orchestra. The Dukes proved their versatility big time with this
extraordinarily life-like recording.

The Marten Dukes are just plain amazing and,
I believe, the best of their breed yet produced. Not only are the Dukes
extraordinary, but they are important speakers that deserve attention
and auditioning. The impression of boxlessness and infinite transparency
is stunning to hear. Expensive? Yes. Worth every penny and more?
Absolutely. The Dukes are a true high-end reference speaker for the top
audiophile and music lover searching for stand mounted monitor speakers.
End of story. Robert H. Levi